Paramount is reportedly preparing to spend up to $200 million to acquire Bari Weiss’ media venture, The Free Press, and may bring Weiss into a senior editorial role at CBS News. The move comes as CBS News navigates major changes following the $8 billion Skydance-Paramount merger, which placed the network under new leadership and triggered significant newsroom reforms.Weiss, the former New York Times opinion editor who launched The Free Press in 2022, could help steer CBS News under Paramount’s oversight, according to the Puck newsletter. Puck reporter Dylan Byers estimated the potential purchase price between $100 million and $200 million, with sources saying negotiations are in their final stages. Paramount declined to comment.

Merger ends Redstone control

The merger between David Ellison’s Skydance Media and Paramount Global, completed last month, ended decades of Redstone family control. The FCC approved the deal after Ellison agreed to install an ombudsman to monitor bias, dismantle DEI programs, and promote “viewpoint diversity.”

However, these changes have already caused unease within CBS News. One insider told Fox Business that the new ombudsman acted like a “hall monitor,” while former anchors warned that CBS News’ tradition of independent reporting could be at risk.

Ellison’s strategy to modernise CBS News

The timing aligns with Ellison’s goal to modernize CBS News and reverse years of ratings decline. The merger was promoted as a strategy to revitalize Paramount’s content pipeline, but CBS News became a key focus during regulatory review. FCC officials conditioned approval on creating the ombudsman position and eliminating DEI mandates.The merger was also approved after Paramount settled a lawsuit brought by former President Trump against CBS News regarding a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. Paramount and Weiss have not publicly commented on the ongoing talks.